“Mason did an amazing job. I appreciate his professional opinion and trusted his recommendation for my malformed ear. ? My piercing came out cute and I would definitely come back for more. Thank you!”
“If you’re looking for jewelry AND a VIP experience, go see Ester at John Roberto Jewelers in the Capitola Mall! Seriously, I think she might have a photographic memory or some kind of customer-service superpower. I was just walking through the mall today, not even shopping for jewelry, and she still remembered me! That level of attentiveness is rarer than the diamonds in the case.
Ester is professional, knowledgeable, and super friendly—like, the kind of friendly where you feel like a high roller, even if you’re just browsing. She follows up like a pro, making sure I got exactly what I wanted last time, and now I can’t imagine shopping anywhere else.
I’ll definitely be back for another purchase—for the love of my life, of course. But let’s be honest, I might also just go back for the VIP treatment and to feel like a jewelry-shopping celebrity again. If you want amazing service and someone who actually cares, go see Ester.”
“Nov 2024 - It’s already my second time back for jewelry change and I’m always so impressed with this lovely place and its even lovelier people. Everyone is always incredibly friendly and helpful. I wish all businesses modeled their customer service like the kind I experience here.
March 2024 - Saw Dan today for a nostril piercing. He was a true joy to work with. He did a great job of explaining everything and answering my questions. I did not feel nervous or anxious under his care. I would highly recommend him to anyone.
I got to interact with a bunch of the staff here as well and everybody is super professional and very pleasant. The space is also beautifully decorated and cared for. I would not hesitate for a second to recommend anybody here.
I came in as a walk-in and they were able to get me in within about 2 1/2 hours which was not a problem since I live very close and could go home and just come back at the time they told me to be back.”
“Long-time successful gardening program serving people experiencing homelessness. Garden products--strawberry jam, bath products, art--for sale at the Garden and downtown on Pacific Avenue.”
“I recently visited Lumen Gallery and had such a great experience! The selection of jewelry, art, and home goods is beautiful and really unique—there’s something for every taste and style. I ended up finding the perfect gift, but honestly, I wanted to take half the store home with me. The staff was super friendly and helpful without being pushy, and they really know their stuff. It’s a great spot to shop for yourself or find special gifts. I’ll definitely be coming back!”
“Botanic & Luxe is such a lovely spot. I love stopping by whenever I’m in downtown Santa Cruz. The staff is always so friendly, and the shop has a gorgeous selection of locally made art — prints, paintings, pottery, candles, and so much more. The aesthetic of the store is stunning, and it always smells amazing. It’s one of my favorite places to pick up a thoughtful gift.
I also really appreciate how the staff wraps purchases so beautifully — it adds such a sweet touch. I recently visited with my mom after we stopped by a craft fair happening downtown. She had bought some perfumes from one of the vendors and accidentally left the bag behind when we were browsing in Botanic & Luxe. After we left, she realized it was missing. We called the store, and at first the woman working (I believe her name was Heather) didn’t see it, but she took the time to look again and even called me back to let me know she’d found the small bag. We went back and picked it up without any issues.
Overall, the customer service here is incredible, and the shop itself is a true hidden gem full of quality items. Please shop local and support small women-owned businesses — places like this deserve it!”
“All my experiences here so far have been exceptionally good. Earlier in the year I came in and bought some silver coins on a couple different occasions. Then today I went there and sold a gram of gold. They paid me spot - $5 the way it should be. You have a customer for life.”
“Went with a few friends and the clerk followed us around immediately. We were just browsing and not doing anything abnormal. Most everything is locked up so I don't understand why he was following us around. Also there is a sign that you can't flip through books without buying first. That was strange and uninviting. Overall there is a good selection and really pretty crystals but there was an uncomfy vibe and I think you all should have my feedback. I don't want to bring a small business rating down so just rating 4 stars .”
“The shop owner was absolutely lovely. She had such amazing energy, really helped us with what we needed, and very knowledgeable about crystals. I loved that they also sell palo santo and sage ❤️”
“Such a great spot in Santa Cruz! Adore the variety of items they have here. It's the perfect place to treat yourself or find gifts for others. Love that they have mini variety options of some of their staples for gifts. They have a mix of local makers as well here, which is always nice when you want to shop local. Everyone here is always super sweet and they also host events sometimes too which is a blast! Highly recommend!”
“What a great shopping experience! Not sure how I found the Craft Gallery but my friends and family are glad I did. They LOVE every gift I purchased from this gem of a shop. Incredible customer service and super speedy delivery.”
“Here you will find a Honest man. 3 years ago he sold my friend a gold maple leaf at spot price. 3 years later he bought that same coin at spot price,with a smile and a wink. I am bringing my silver coins to make extra cash. I compared his buying price to other coin shops in the bay area, and find I can get the most cash from my coins with this business. With the price of precious metals going up I can count on this shop giving me the best deal. Conversely if I am prepared to buy gold or silver; this is my go to place.”
“They did a fantastic job on my rings!! 4 years ago I had my son, and after his birth I thought my fingers would go back to pre pregnancy size. Unfortunately they did not and I wasn't able to wear my wedding and engagement rings since. I put off getting the rings resized up because of a variety of factors. My mom recommended this business as a excellent place for resizing. I am absolutely in love and my rings are so mirror like and so we'll polished it feels like they are a brand new set. Thank you for such an amazing job! I feel so confident wearing my rings again. Highly recommend!”
11AM - 7:30PM
720 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz
Jewelry Stores
“I just returned home after having such a wonderful experience at Ideal Jewelry..the owner and young woman working couldn't have been kinder or more helpful..I bought a Timex watch with expandable band and tried to make the band smaller by watching a youtube video.Long story short , I had heard about Ideal and went right down and within 20min. my band was fixed and the charge was so minimal..I highly recomend Ideal Jewelry especially since it's family owned..Thank you so much for your kindness..I will be back.Trina”
“Love my pieces from Variance. I was lucky enough to have a piece made, and it came out so nice!! I get frequent compliments. And if course, it's stackable!!”
“About a year ago my sweet puppy got a hold of a very fragile ring given to me by my grandmother. Thankfully he didn't swallow it, but he totally mangled it. The ring is over 50 years old and was given to my grandmother as a birthday gift from my grandfather when she turned 40. I was heartbroken and was told multiple times that it would be very difficult or near impossible to repair because of how thin the band was and how delicate the setting. Greg at Stephan's Fine Jewelry examined the ring thoroughly and talked me through two options to repair it. I appreciated how honest Greg was with me about expectations for both options, and how careful he was in examining the ring. I ended up having the band replaced and the setting repaired and reset and I couldn't be happier with it. Greg is a master of his craft and I'm glad I ended up taking my grandmothers ring to Stephan's. I will absolutely use and recommend them for fine jewelry repair moving forward. Thank you Greg! And everyone who I chatted with at Stephan's - the staff is so kind. Pictures of before and after are below. It's hard to see how truly ruined it was but it's a small miracle the diamonds stayed intact. The prongs were partially twisted and the band was about to break from how thin and chewed it was.”
“This store carries very high quality and reasonably priced sweatshirts . I am especially fond of the very artistic heart wave of Capitola which is the original artwork of the owner Devon’s wife!
If you have not yet seen it you must! He also sells this design in a greeting card that I sent as Valentine cards this year!
Shop local and support locals in the village”
“Came here to pick up a gift for someone special and they did such a beautiful job wrapping it. Very kind and attentive people working, and lots of gifts to choose from. I will definitely be back!”
“Miss Jessie May's is such an awesome treasure in downtown Santa Cruz! It is one of the few places left in downtown town Santa Cruz that still has that unique classic Santa Cruz charm. They are a goldmine for vintage/antique treasure hunting! From vintage postcards to jewelry, cuff links, trinkets, antique zippos and other cool classic lighters... Jessie May's has some of the coolest and most unique selection I have found! If you are a collector of cool vintage and antique items, do yourself a favor and hit this spot up if you're anywhere near Santa Cruz!”
“super cute art store in the heart of capitola... my friends and i stopped by en route to the beach and loved what we saw here, lots of custom greeting cards, paintings by local artists, mugs, jewelry and clothing branded with capitola. some of the actual artwork was very unique, symbols and things that i hadn't seen in other art stores. the ladies working there were super sweet, very friendly. hours are a little limited though, they only open wednesday - sunday, 11.00-17.00 (closed on monday & tuesday). as far as parking, there is limited street parking, but your best bet is to park in the city parking lot about a block away.”
10:30AM - 4PM
218 Mt Hermon Rd, Scotts Valley
Jewelry Stores
“I’ve have purchased a few custom made rings and I just describe what I want with a little chicken scratch drawing & made it happen, twice! And an Opal necklace which I carelessly cracked the Opal, my bad, and he put a layer of diamonds in a beautiful wave shape over the Opal and it’s even more Beautiful! He is a magician with jewelry! Merely step inside their, and I they as Fuzzy is also quite knowledgeable about anything and everything jewel or gold, etc related! She can help you figure out what you are looking for gift wise, for yourself wise, she is a sweetheart and the beautiful other half to the Magic maker! Stroll in! Be amazed by the wonder of what they have on hand or dream up / Imagine your hearts desire and so shall it be! You will leave happy and confident knowing you found/had made the perfect jewelry, more than you could have dreamed possible and will forever cherish it/them! Hard to leave with just one thing and you will keep going back! Everything is unique and gorgeous! I’ll be going back for the redwood tree necklace, earrings or is the Opals or the waves, it’s soooo hard to decide! Cheers Enjoy the Journey, Enjoy your Treasures!!!”
“A hidden gem of a store with a refreshing and cozy atmosphere inside. Found their selection of clothes, jewelry, and other items entertaining and unique. Staff is also very outgoing and helpful.”
“Oceania has great selection and customer service. Knowing their curated clothings so well they become your personal shopper, making suggestions and pulling from stock. Thank you I’ll be back”
“Lovely store with amazing handcraft and unique jewelry! Visited while on vacation and got a ring as a momento. Weeks later, my ring had a teeny tiny crack in it. I contacted Mountainside and Cassie quickly helped me out! I returned the cracked ring and was shipped a replacement within a week.Fantastic customer service - they really care! Can't wait to stop by and pick up more momentos next time I'm nearby.”